To all those people offended by what i said - i just wanted to apologise for my ill timed and ill considered trolling remark. I don't want to stir anything up but i do want to say that it was mischief rather than maleficence that drove it.

Given the weight of feeling and sensitive nature of the last few weeks and the ramifications and repercussions of such a historical moment - it was crass and shitty of me to post what i did.

FWIW - i've really enjoyed the debate in this thread.

I will take on board what was said in public and in private and try and act with a greater degree of decorum in threads such as this in future.